Adam Dunn still staying relaxed as decision nears

On Monday night, Adam Dunn felt curious about what might happen between now and the trade deadline. All along, Dunn has stayed out of the business side of his situation. But he called his agent Monday night, and while they spoke he could not quell the temptation to wonder.

"He was like, 'Oh, now you want to know, huh?' " Dunn said this afternoon. "I said, 'You're right, I don't.' Now I do want to know. It's [ticking] me off. It's kind of like when you're having a kid. You kind of want to know, you kind of want to see what happens."

After Dunn bent Monday night, he didn't break. Dunn remains at the center of constant trade rumors, but with a decision nearing he is still ignoring the talk, even telling those involved he doesn't want to know. Dunn has purposefully kept himself in the dark about what his future holds, a future that will be decided within the next five days.

"It's very easy for me to block it out," Dunn said. "I understand it's my career, but the options are pretty good. I stay where I want to stay, or I go and probably get a chance to play for a World Series, definitely in a pennant race. That's two pretty awesome options. I'm in a win-win situation."

Dunn allowed that he's frustrated with the lack of a conclusion. "If you'd asked me three months ago if I thought we would have a deal worked out, absolutely," Dunn said. "But again, that's the business side where I don't even want to get involved in. I don't know what's going to happen."

Regardless of the result, though, Dunn will not harbor ill feelings towards the Nationals, he said. His representatives have been talking with the Nationals since the spring, and, contrary to what a team source told the Post, Dunn said his representatives have not tried to set any kind of deadline for contract-extension negotiations to be completed. His feelings toward the team, he said, have not changed throughout the process.

"It's business," Dunn said. "I'm not going to sit there tomorrow if I get traded and say, 'God, I hate Mike [Rizzo] and Stan [Kasten]. I can't stand them. I hate 'em all.' I'll probably end up talking to them for a long time. I really enjoy them. It's not going to affect me either way.

"I don't know how to put it, man. I really don't have a feeling, because I've done everything I can, expressed everything I wanted to express. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Whatever. It's fine.

"I've done everything I can. I've told them how I feel. Both sides know how I feel. And you've got the business side, which I don't want to be a part. If I wanted to be a part of that, I would have been an agent."

While Dunn believes he will benefit from either signing an extension or being traded, his preference remains to stay in Washington. Dunn believes the Nationals, despite their 42-57 record, are close to contention. The appeal of staying, for Dunn, lies in helping transform a perpetual loser into a winning organization.

"That's the reason why I wanted to come here," Dunn said. "I could have went somewhere that was already winning. Who cares? So what? I want to turn something around and be part of something special.

"The goal is to win, man, and we're not winning here. But I wouldn't be doing all this if I didn't think we were going to be really good, really soon. If that's the case, 'Okay, I want out of here.' I don't. I know where we're fixing to get. I know next year how much better we're going to be. I've already been stuck here with 100 losses. I want to win 100 here."

I never understand why baseball teams trade away their best players at the deadline when all they end up doing is having to address the same need they traded away the next season. Next season the nats will be shopping for a big bat. Just keep him, sign him and keep adding players until you have a complete team. The nats have the potential to be a good team next season. Why trade away would could be a main piece to the puzzle just to have to replace him. Especially if he wants to stay.

I don't know Adam Dunn. Never met him. But, he seems like a decent guy without a huge ego and seems to be a "team first" player. However, I wouldn't hesitate to trade him if we had a chance at a young #2 or #3 starter or middle infielder. Its clear that the Nats need pitching and defense. Dunn is a one or two tool guy. His defense, speed, and batting average are mediocre or below average in the MLB. The Nats can do better. If they can get a 4 or 5 tool IF or a starter, trade him. Pull a reverse Vinny and I'll be happy.

I think the Nats would be extremely stupid to trade Dunn. However, with all the other stupid moves they've made, it wouldn't be a surprise! The Nats have always traded the good players they have and get the throw-aways from other teams. Adam Kennedy is one of them. I think Zim, Dun, & Willingham make an awesome 3,4,5 in any lineup and to break that up would be a shame.

There's a reason why the Nats were able to pick-up Adam Dunn before training camp in 2009, nobody other than the Nats in the National League was going pay him what he wanted to be an everyday player and he didn't want to DH in the American League, nothings changed and the Nats should be able to get Dunn back after this season if they are dumb enough to pay him 15 mil a year.

Personally I don't see why some Nats fans are crazy about Dunn, he stikes out every 1 out of 4 at bats and his homeruns (1 out of 17 at bats) usually don't happen at key moments of the game.

Adam Dunn reminds me of Frank Howard, a big guy who can hit homeruns but hard to win with unless a team has a bunch of .300 hitters.

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